Frederick George FORD Born Dawlish, 26 May 1896 Died 9 May 1915, Gallipoli, aged 18 Private 16287, Royal Marine Light Infantry, Plymouth Division Frederick George Ford was the son of Rose Mary Ford (1875- ), but his birth certificate does not name a father. His mother is shown as an 'Asylum attendant' and may have been working at Starcross. The birth took place at 3 Strand Hill, the home of John and Mary Ford, his grandparents. The birth was registered by Mary Ford, grandmother, who made her mark, 'X', on the form. Rose Mary Ford was shown in the census of 1891 as a Nurse (domestic), aged 15, at 7 Park Street. By 1901 Rose Mary Ford was a Cook(domestic), aged 25, at 2 Oak Park (Ivycroft). Rose Mary Ford later married Harry Coyle in St Gregory's in Q4, 1908, and in the 1911 census is shown living at No 6 Clifford Street, Kingsteignton, but without any other person in her household. We have a family report that she died in 1926. When he was four years old the 1901 census showed Frederick living with his grandparents John (1850-1933) and Mary Ford (1853-1923), three of their daughters, Lilian, 17, Eva A, 16, Ivy, 10, and three sons, Sydney J, 11, Frederick George, 8, and Ralph Harold, 7, at 3 Park Street, Dawlish. They had, in total, sixteen children and by 1911 five had died. John Ford, had been born in Roborough, North Devon, and was a working tailor. He married Mary Way (born in Spreyton) in St Gregory's Church on 14 February 1874. She was one of ten Way children and her sister Annie was the mother of Frank Morrish who was killed at Jutland on 31st May 1916. A younger sister of Frederick's mother was Lilian Elizabeth Ford (1883- ) who married William John Hutchings in Q4,1906 and who also died at the Battle of Jutland. A later descendant of the Way family was Hedley Way, now remembered for the centre in his name at the end of Brook Street in the Manor gardens. The family photograph of 11 July 1904 shows Mary and John Ford with their daughter, Rose Mary (2nd from right in back row) and grandson Frederick George (far right, front row). Ralph Henry Ford is the youngest son, next to Frederick G Ford. Lilian Elizabeth is third from left, back. 1
Frederick George Ford enlisted with the Royal Marines at Exeter on 21 July 1913 soon after his 17th birthday. He was sent to the Recruiting Depot, Deal for training in musketry until 10 July, 1914, when being of full age he was sent to the Plymouth Division, the Royal Marine Light Infantry. From September to December 1914 he was attached to the Royal Marine Brigade, fighting in Belgium. The Western Times of Friday 23 October, 1914 reported; Pte. F. Ford, R.M.L.I.,has returned to Dawlish for a few days. He was with the Marines at Antwerp. The R.M.L.I. had fought alongside Belgian forces to resist the German advance towards Antwerp and the Channel coastal ports. The same paper, on Tuesday 8 June, 1915, reported: Mr and Mrs J Ford of Strand Hill have been notified by the Admiralty that their youngest son, Fred, a Private in the Royal Marines, was killed in action near the Dardanelles. Deceased, who was 19, joined the Marines two years ago. He took part in the defence of Antwerp. (He was in fact their grandson -ed) The Dawlish Gazette of Saturday 12 June, 1915 Mr and Mrs Ford, of Strand Hill, Dawlish, had sad news conveyed to them officially on Saturday last of the death of their son, Pte Fred Ford, of the Royal Marines, killed in action in the Dardanelles. Deceased previously saw service in the war with the Naval Brigade in Antwerp. Subsequently, he came home for a few days leave. He was a nicedispositioned, unassuming young fellow, who was a boy chorister in St Mark's Church. The sympathies of the community go out to the bereaved. PLYMOUTH BATTALION ENGAGEMENTS IN DARDANELLES AND GALLIPOLI 6 February 1915: known as the "Royal Marine Special Service Force, Plymouth Battalion and the headquarters of the Royal Marine Brigade sail on "Braemar Castle", arriving at Malta 14 February 1915, and sailing again on 19 February. Arrived Tenedos on 21 February, and after false starts sailed on 26 February for Dardanelles, arriving 8am. Naval bombardment of the Straits forts and emplacements is underway. Orders to land on Gallipoli on 28 February cancelled due to bad weather at sea. March 1915 8.30am 4 March Plymouth Battalion landed one company each at Kum Kale and Sedd-el-Bahr, to cover the demolition of Turkish guns by raiding parties. Sedd-el-Bahr company re-embarks at 2.30pm, Kum Kale at 7.15pm. Operations successful, at cost of 22 dead and 22 wounded. 11 March: Portsmouth Battalion arrived at Lemnos from England on "Gloucester Castle" and Deal Battalion arrived on "Alnwick Castle". 12 March: Royal Marine Brigade reorganised and "Royal Marine Special Service Force" ceases to exist. Brigade comes under orders of Royal Naval Division. April 1915 2
7 April: Brigade re-embarked at Alexandria. 16 April: moved to Trebuki Bay, Skyros, where Division was concentrating. 23 April: Brigade sails for Gulf of Xeros. 25 April: Division carries out feint landing at Bulair, while British 29 th Division lands at Cape Helles beaches and Australian and New Zealand forces at beach near Gaba Tepe / Ari Burnu soon named Anzac cove. Plymouth Battalion makes a landing at "Y" beach in support of 29th Division. 27 April: ships carrying Brigade arrived off Cape Helles at daylight. 28 April 5pm: "Gloucester Castle" and "Cawdor Castle" ordered to move and anchor off Gaba Tepe. Chatham and Portsmouth Battalions ordered to disembark and come under orders of 1st Australian Division on arrival. 29 April: Deal and Nelson Battalions together with Brigade Headquarters land at Anzac in the evening and move up through Shrapnel Gully to the forward defences. From CWGC Historical Information The eight month campaign in Gallipoli was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war, to relieve the deadlock of the Western Front in France and Belgium, and to open a supply route to Russia through the Dardanelles and the Black Sea. The Allies landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the west coast, an area soon known as Anzac. On 6 August, further landings were made at Suvla, just north of Anzac, and the climax of the campaign came in early August when simultaneous assaults were launched on all three fronts. However, the difficult terrain and stiff Turkish resistance soon led to the stalemate of trench warfare. From the end of August, no further serious action was fought and the lines remained unchanged. The peninsula was successfully evacuated in December and early January 1916. The Helles Memorial serves the dual function of Commonwealth battle memorial for the whole Gallipoli campaign and place of commemoration for many of those Commonwealth servicemen who died there and have no known grave. The United Kingdom and Indian forces named on the memorial died in operations throughout the peninsula, the Australians at Helles. There are also panels for those who died or were buried at sea in Gallipoli waters. The memorial bears more than 21,000 names. Frederick Ford's death follows directly upon the 2nd Battle of Krithia in which an attempt was made to gain the heights that control the Dardanelles. Is it possible that he died of wounds from that action? There is no record to show us. See http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/krithia2.htm The Commonwealth War Graves entry/ UK Royal Navy & Royal Marines War Graves Roll shows Frederick George Ford, Private, killed or died as a direct result of enemy action, 9 May 1915. Location of grave not recorded. Burial: Gallipoli, Canakkale, Turkey (Helles memorial, panel 2 to 7). See below, He is recorded in the Devon Roll of Honour, but date and location of death are not shown. The Dawlish War memorial inscription reads: FORD F. He is recorded on the Dawlish Boys' School Roll of Honour. 3 PTE. R.M.L.I.
Helles memorial, Gallipoli Memorial inscription His medals, 1914 Star & clasp were issued to Grandmother, Mrs Mary Ford, 30, Strand Hill, Dawlish on 17/3/1921 and they are still in the possession of her great grand-daughter, as are other important family relics. 4
References: Free Birth Marriage Death records The Long, long trail (www.1914-1918.net) Naval-history.net Refs via susbscription sites: Census records RN&RM War Graves Roll Royal Naval Casualties of the Great War, 1914-1924 Service Record. At National Archive, Kew Ford Family history in private ownership Family tree Master Ford-Petherick file (ancestry.co.uk) From GRO - copy Birth certificate. FORD F G text 29/4/15 23/2/14 Hutchings connection 5 rbv